The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called on President Bola Tinubu to urgently direct the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, as well as relevant anti-corruption agencies, to investigate allegations that the ₦145 billion Safe Schools Initiative fund may have been mismanaged, diverted, or remains unaccounted for.
The rights group made the call following the reported abduction of dozens of students and teachers from three schools in Oriire Local Government Area, an incident it said highlights the continued vulnerability of educational institutions despite substantial government spending on school security.
In a statement issued on Thursday, SERAP expressed concern that more than 600 pupils and teachers have reportedly been abducted in school-related attacks across Nigeria between March 2024 and May 2026, despite the Federal Government’s reported allocation of ₦145 billion to the Safe Schools Initiative.
According to the organization, the latest abductions raise serious concerns about the effectiveness, transparency, and accountability of the programme, which was established to strengthen security infrastructure in schools and protect students, teachers, and educational facilities from attacks.
SERAP urged President Tinubu and Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde to take immediate steps to secure the release and safe return of the abducted students and teachers.
“The abductors must be arrested and brought to justice. Victims and their families must be provided with access to justice and effective remedies,” the organization stated.
The group stressed that authorities at all levels of government must act swiftly to ensure accountability and prevent future attacks on schools, warning that persistent insecurity in educational institutions threatens children’s right to education and exposes educators to grave risks.
SERAP noted that the reported incidents have cast doubt on whether funds earmarked for school protection have been properly utilized, insisting that any allegations of mismanagement or diversion of public resources meant to safeguard children must be independently and thoroughly investigated.
“The reported abductions raise serious questions about the effectiveness, transparency, and accountability of the Safe Schools Initiative. Allegations that funds intended to protect Nigerian children may have been mismanaged must be urgently, thoroughly, independently and effectively investigated, and the findings of any investigation should be widely published,” the organization said.
The group argued that corruption within education security programmes has far-reaching consequences, including exposing students and teachers to danger, undermining access to education, and disproportionately affecting poor and vulnerable communities that rely heavily on public schools.
SERAP also maintained that Nigerian authorities have both constitutional and international legal obligations to protect children from abduction, violence, and other human rights violations.
Citing the provisions of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the organization noted that Section 14(2)(b) clearly states that the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government, while Section 33 guarantees the right to life and imposes a responsibility on authorities to take reasonable measures to protect citizens from threats to their safety and security.
The statement further referenced Section 34 of the Constitution, which guarantees the dignity of the human person, as well as provisions requiring governments at all levels to promote adequate educational opportunities for citizens.
According to SERAP, these constitutional guarantees place a legal obligation on federal and state authorities to adopt effective measures to protect students, teachers, and educational institutions from violence, kidnapping, and other threats capable of disrupting learning and violating fundamental rights.
The organization warned that it would not hesitate to seek judicial intervention should the government fail to implement the measures it has recommended.
“We’ll see Nigerian authorities in court if the recommended measures are not immediately implemented,” SERAP stated.